Extensible drum float for watercraft



c. L. WOODS 2,479,659

EXTENSIBLE DRUM FLOAT FOR WATER CRAFT Aug. 23, 1949.

Filed Dec. 4, 1945 5 3 T H6. 1 FIG. 2

l/ a I2 20 a F L --------------r--+----- 3+ 23 34 22 FIG. 3

mvsm-on CHARLES L. wo oos,

BY w ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 23, 1949 EXTENSIBLE DRUM FLOAT FORWATERCRAFT Charles L. Woods, Quincy, Ill.

Application December 4, 1945, Serial No. 632,713

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a float for boats, and more particularly tosuch a float adapted for the reducing of the draft of the vessel, inorder to permit the same to navigate shoal water, or be refloated afterhaving grounded, or th like.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved floatadapted to be associated with a boat and characterized by means wherebythe same may be raised to be clear of the water during normal navigationof the boat, but lowered to increase the buoyancy of the associatedcraft, in the event the same runs aground, or when navigating shoal orshallow water, or in other instances where it is desirable to decreasethe draft of the craft.

An additional object of this invention is the provision of an improvedtype float comprising an improvement over my previously issued PatentNo. 1,902,006, entitled Boat, issued March 21, 1933.

A still further and more specific object of the invention is theprovision of improved means for raising and lowering the float or floatsassociated with the boat as desired.

Still another object is the provision of a float of the characterindicated adapted to be utilized with relatively small craft, andadapted to be fully manually controlled.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a float systemfor boats characterized by floats on opposite sides, which may beindependently manipulated in such manner as to trim the craft, or varythe deck angle or the angle of the keel, as may be desired.

Other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements ofparts and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointedout hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawing, wherein thereis shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a boat embodying oneform of float constructed in accordance with the instant inventiveconcept, certain concealed portions thereof being indicated in dottedlines.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the construction shown in Figure1, certain concealed portions thereof being indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 ofFigure 1, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows, certainconcealed portions thereof being indicated in dotted lines, and otherportions thereof being broken away.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawmg.

Having reference now to the drawing, there is generally indicated at IDthe hull of a boat, or similar water craft, provided with a deck H whichextends outwardly a material distance from the side of the hull, as bestshown in Figure 2.

Depending from the overlapping portion I2 of the deck H are four uprightguide members l3 which extend downwardly to an extending portion orlower deck I 4 of the hull ID. The uprights 13 are positioned at theopposite corners of a relative square aperture in the portion [4 of thehull and serve as guides for a drum float housing generally indicated at15. A diagonally extending reinforcing brace I6 is provided betweenopposite upper and lower corners of certain of the uprights I3, as maybe desired.

The upper portions of the uprights l3 are connected by frame members I!forming a substantially rectangular housing, and extending across anintermediate portion in a direction longitudinally of the boat hullbetween two of the members I7, is a pair of spaced supporting membersI8. The members l8 carry a depending bracket 20 secured to the underside thereof, in which bracket is journaled the extremity of an axle 2|which carries a pinion 22 positioned substantially between the membersl8.

The opposite extremity of the axle 2| carries a gear 23 adapted to meshwith a pinion 24 carried by a crank lever 25 suitably secured in anydesired manner in the hull l0 and preferably extending interiorlythereof into the engine room. The crank arm 25 terminates, as best shownin Figure 2, in a handle 26, whereby rotation of the handle 26 serves torotate the axle 2|, and hence the pinion 22, for a purpose to be morefully described hereinafter.

Referring back now to the drum float housing l5, the same is comprisedof a top plate 30 from which depend guide members 3! on the sidesthereof, and guide boards 32 at the ends thereof. Side boards 34 areprovided and suitably secured in any desired manner to the guide members3| and the guide boards 32. Reinforcing braces 35 are positioned aboutall four sides of the assembly and serve to hold the parts in relatedassembly.

Journaled between the side boards 34 is an axle 36, upon which isrotatably mounted a watertight drum-type float 31, preferablycylindrical in configuration, and adapted to rotate about the axle asdesired.

Suitably secured to the top plate 30 are a pair of spaced apertured lugs40 suitably bolted, as by means of bolts M, or the like, to the top 30.The lugs ll] support the extremities of a transverse stub axle 42 whichis fixedly secured to a rack 43 which extends upwardly between themembers l8 of the frame, and is adapted to mesh with the pinion 22. Atransverse guide strip 44 {see Fig. 3?) extending between the members [8serves to hold the rack 43 in related assembly with the pinion 22. Itmay here be pointed out that the association of the rack' with the stubaxle 42 permits limited play in a longitudinal direction of the relatedelements, While the lugs 40 are spaced apart a suificient distance toprovide a relatively limited amount of lateral play.

From the foregoing the operation of the device should now be readilyunderstandable.

It will be readily understood that during the normal operation of thewater craft carrying the devices, it being noted that in the 'prerer-redembodiment of the invention one or more of the floats. should bepositioned oppositely on either side of the craft, the drum float islifted to the position disclosed in Figures 1 and 2, and normaliy clearsthe water level.

However, in the event that the craft is grounded, or itis desired forany other reason to reduce the draft thereof, it will be readilyapparent: that rotation .of-the crank 25 by means of the handle 26 will,through the rack and pinion arrangement previously described, cause alowering of the drum float housing and its associated floats 3?, and assoon as the drum float is immersed in the water, correspondinglyoccasions a relative increase in the buoyancy of the craft and asubsequent lessening of its draft, thus enabling the vessel to navigateshoal water, or reduce its draft to such an extent as to permit thevessel to be i e-floated if the same goes aground.

Obviously, if desired, when the drums are fully lowered, the boat may betowed out on land, the drums serving as wheels therefor.

Similarly, when raised, the drums act as sponshown and described, it isto be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as'1 illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

L In an auxiliary float device for water craft, the combination of aframe secured to the side of craft, :a housing vertically movable insaid frame, said housing comprising a chamber having closed ends, sidesand top but open at the bottom, a drum float carried by said housingadjacent said open bottom and extending therethIongl-l, and means forraising and lowering said housing.

"2. In an auxiliary float device for water craft, a guide frame securedto the side of said craft, a housing vertically movable in said frame,said housing comprising an inverted substantially cupshaped memberhavingan open bottom and closed sides, ends and top, a drum float, meansjournalling said drum float in said sides of said housing adjacent saidopen bottom, a portion of said drum extending below said housing throughthe open bot-torn thereof, and means forra'ising and lowering saidhousing.

CHARLES L. WOODS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in. the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 449,092 Turver Mar.. 24, 1391935,198 Fletcher Sept- 28, 1909 2,219,647 Degallier Oct. 29;, 19402,309,947 Gibbs et al Feb. 2. 1943

